They were speaking at a conference held to express solidarity for the Baloch people by the Joint Action Committee of non-profit organisations and Karachi Press Club on the National Women’s Day.
The Aurat Foundation resident director, Mehnaz Rehman, said that the missing persons issue and target killings have taken a toll on the Baloch women too, both physically and mentally.
A letter written by Baloch women was read out by researcher, Nazish Brohi. It described them being constantly fearful for their and their families’ lives.
The letter said that they were also afraid of the Frontier Constabulary. The women expressed their desire to go to universities and learn, instead of attending funerals and mournings.
Brohi said that the issue of Balochistan and its women is one and the same. “We can’t separate the issue of Baloch women from the province’s situation because they have to live and die there.”
Dr Jaffar Ahmed, the Karachi University’s Pakistan Study Centre Director, shared his disappointment on the lack of effort by the political parties in this matter. “We expected that democratic government would take positive steps and initiatives regarding Balochistan,” he said. “But unfortunately, Balochistan does not even get a fair mention.” The government should not think that they will succeed in Balochistan by force, he added.
Jan Muhammad Boledai of the National Party said that women’s condition in the tribal environment of Balochistan was depressing. Earlier, they fought for their rights, but now they also worry about the danger to the lives of their family. “Only a woman can understand the feelings of a mother whose sees her son’s decomposed body after seeing him being kidnapped in front of her.” Condemning the previous course of actions, he said that the government should realise that using force and torturing people is not a solution.
The former federal law minister and human rights activist, Iqbal Haider, in a rousing speech, accused the security agencies and the present government of creating turmoil. He raised the question of why there were anti-state sentiments among the Baloch people, demanding that the government give reasons as why it is so. “If you are brutal with the people, then they will obviously try to divide the state,” he said. “It is shameful that Pakistan’s flag is not hung in Balochistan on March 23, except at the Governor House.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2012.
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Gov. Should take all immediate steps to resolve Baloch problems
Provide education to the Balouch women and you would have educated the entire Balouch nation.
The government should establish a special qouta for Baloch women in every university in Pakistan outside Balochistan until the conditions get better, with a scholarship system that pays for their living. After all that we have taken from Balochistan, this is the least we can do.
Have a lot of sympathy for the baloch women.A few years ago,a group of women were buried alive in balochistan.Their crime was that they dared to marry of their own free will.the tribal chiefs couldn't stand this ,so they had them buried alive as a punishment and a warning to other baloch women.on top of that ,the baloch leaders defended this atrocity by saying it is a part of our culture,they defended it in the senate and they openly approved of this crime on tv saying this is our tradition and we'll continue to do this.